Save the date! August 22-25, 2018, meet Marvin Sapp, William Murphy III, Jamal Bryant, Rudolph W. McKissick, and Antonio Matthews for a time of refreshing…at Caesar’s Palace. What happens in Vegas, WILL NOT stay in Vegas, because you’re promised to return REfreshed, REcharged, and REfocused! Help spread the word as registration began February 14th.

Before playing in the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game on Friday night, Jamie Foxx was interviewed by Michael Smith on SportsCenter, but the interview didn’t end on the greatest note.

Foxx wound up walking off after Smith tried to ask him about playing basketball with his girlfriend, actress Katie Holmes, on Valentine’s Day. The smile that Foxx flashed appeared to be one that said something along the lines of, “I don’t talk about Katie Holmes ever.“

I’d also like to add how amazing the look on the face of the last guy who shows up in the shot after Foxx walks off. Look back at that video again if you missed it.

Sometimes the most random people make the most awkward moments the best.

SOURCE: USA Today FTW! – Alysha Tsuji

]]>bcnn1wpJamie Foxx walks off SportsCenter after question about playing basketball with Katie HolmesLeBron James Hits Back at Laura Ingraham Over her ‘Shut Up and Dribble’ Commenthttps://bcnn1wp.wordpress.com/2018/02/17/lebron-james-hits-back-at-laura-ingraham-over-her-shut-up-and-dribble-comment/
Sun, 18 Feb 2018 02:35:55 +0000http://bcnn1wp.wordpress.com/?p=278870Continue Reading →]]>

Earlier this week, the “Ingraham Angle” host had criticized Cleveland Cavaliers player James and Golden State Warriors star Kevin Durant over a video in which James called out President Donald Trump for not giving “a f*** about the people.”

Ingraham told the athletes to “shut up and dribble” and to “keep the political commentary to yourself.”

]]>bcnn1wpWATCH: Family of Korryn Gaines Awarded Over $37 Million Two Years After she Was Killed By Baltimore Police and her Toddler Son Was Caught in the Line of Firehttps://bcnn1wp.wordpress.com/2018/02/17/watch-family-of-korryn-gaines-awarded-over-37-million-two-years-after-she-was-killed-by-baltimore-police-and-her-toddler-son-was-caught-in-the-line-of-fire/
Sun, 18 Feb 2018 02:10:41 +0000http://bcnn1wp.wordpress.com/?p=278868Continue Reading →]]>

The family of Korryn Gaines, a young woman shot and killed by a Baltimore County police officer in 2016, has been awarded $37 million after a jury ruled Friday that the officer’s actions were improper.

Police say Gaines, 23, raised a shotgun into the firing position during what had turned into a six-hour standoff, and that Officer Royce Ruby’s actions were therefore justified. Ruby fired a bullet that killed Gaines and wounded her son, Kodi, who was 5 at the time.

Kodi was awarded $32 million in Friday’s judgment, according to WBAL. Gaines’ daughter, Karsyn Courtney, was awarded $4.5 million. Her father and mother each received $300,000, and the Gaines estate was awarded an additional $300,000.

The all-female jury of six reached its verdict after three hours of deliberations. None of the money awarded was for punitive damages.

Gaines’ family welcomed the verdict as a victory for the broader community.

This win is for all of my sisters in the movement who have lost their children to police violence. – Rhanda Dormeus, Korryn Gaines’ mother

“This win is for all of my sisters in the movement who have lost their children to police violence,” Gaines’ mother, Rhanda Dormeus, told The Baltimore Sun outside the courthouse after the verdict. “Some of them have never received justice, either criminally or civil. I just want to tell them that this win is for them.”

“A mother died, a child was unintentionally injured, and police officers were placed in mortal danger,” the statement read. “By any account, this was a tragic situation.”

Officers went to Gaines’ apartment the morning of Aug. 1, 2016, to serve her an arrest warrant on charges of disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and multiple traffic violations. When she didn’t open the door after officers knocked repeatedly, they obtained a key from the landlord and attempted to enter the apartment. They found Gaines on the floor holding a shotgun and her 5-year-old son.

“At that point, our detectives backed off, not only to call additional resources, but to ensure the safety of the community and bring a safe resolution to this incident,” Baltimore County police Cpl. John Wachter said in 2016.

Gaines published videos of the standoff on Facebook and Instagram throughout the ordeal. In the caption of one of them, she wrote, “My son is not a hostage.”

]]>bcnn1wpUS Says It’s Unlikely Turkey Used Chemical Weapons Against Kurdshttps://bcnn1wp.wordpress.com/2018/02/17/us-says-its-unlikely-turkey-used-chemical-weapons-against-kurds/
Sun, 18 Feb 2018 01:32:08 +0000http://bcnn1wp.wordpress.com/?p=278866Continue Reading →]]>A White House official says the United States thinks it is “extremely unlikely” Turkey used chemical weapons against the Kurds.

The official says that they are aware of the reports, but cannot confirm them and called for the protection of civilians.

Local doctors and Syria’s state-run news agency reported Saturday that six civilians suffered breathing difficulties and other symptoms indicative of poison gas inhalation after an attack launched by Turkey on the Kurdish-controlled enclave of Afrin.

State-run news agency SANA and the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group also quoted local doctors in their reports.

The claims could not be independently verified, and videos released from the hospital showed people being fitted with oxygen masks who did not otherwise show symptoms of poison gas inhalation.

]]>bcnn1wpThousands Protest Gun Laws in Florida Streets After School Shootinghttps://bcnn1wp.wordpress.com/2018/02/17/thousands-protest-gun-laws-in-florida-streets-after-school-shooting/
Sun, 18 Feb 2018 01:32:00 +0000http://bcnn1wp.wordpress.com/?p=278857Continue Reading →]]>Thousands of angry students, parents, teachers and neighbors of a Florida high school where 17 people were killed demanded on Saturday that immediate action be taken on gun-control legislation, insisting they would not relent until their demands were met.

The rally in downtown Fort Lauderdale gave a political outlet to the growing feelings of rage and mourning sparked by the carnage at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. Authorities say a former student who had been expelled, had mental health issues and been reported to law enforcement, used a legally purchased semiautomatic rifle to kill students and staff.

“Because of these gun laws, people that I know, people that I love, have died, and I will never be able to see them again,” Delaney Tarr, a student at the school, told the crowd swamping the steps and courtyard at the federal courthouse.

Student Emma Gonzalez told the crowd politicians should stop taking donations from the National Rifle Association. “Shame on you,” she yelled, and the crowd repeated her.

“A lot of people are saying that these kids are activists, these kids need to be politicians,” she later told a reporter. “But a lot of us are just other students who figured there’s strength in numbers. And we want to be sure that we end up having our message sent across. And then we can get back to our normal everyday lives, you know.”

Laurie Woodward Garcia, the mother of a 14-year-old girl, echoed many in the crowd, who said they believed that this shooting would lead to change, though so many others had not.

“If there’s something that we can unite on as Democrats and Republicans and Independents, it’s our children. So it will happen,” she said.

The rally came as new details emerged about the suspect, Nikolas Cruz.

From a mosaic of public records, interviews with friends and family and online interactions, it appears Cruz was unstable and violent to himself and those around him — and that when notified about his threatening behavior, law enforcement did little to stop it.

Cruz’s mother died in November and his father died years ago.

He reportedly left a suburban Palm Beach County mobile home where he had been staying after his mother’s death because his benefactor gave him an ultimatum: you or the gun.

The Palm Beach Post reports Rocxanne Deschamps said, “He bought a gun and wanted to bring it into my house” in public comments that have since been removed from her Facebook page.

Chad Bennett, a friend of Deschamps’, said Cruz “chose the gun and he left.”

He then went to live with another family.

Earlier, Florida’s child welfare agency investigated after Cruz cut himself in an online video, but found him stable, according to state records.

The Sun-Sentinel reported that Florida’s Department of Children and Families investigated when Cruz posted a video on the social media network Snapchat showing him cutting his arms in 2016. The agency was called to investigate. Cruz, then 18, was listed as an “alleged victim” of medical neglect and inadequate supervision; his adoptive mother, then-68-year-old Lynda Cruz, the “alleged perpetrator.”

“Mr. Cruz was on Snapchat cutting both of his arms,” the Florida DCF abuse hotline was told in August 2016, the paper reported. “Mr. Cruz has fresh cuts on both his arms. Mr. Cruz stated he plans to go out and buy a gun. It is unknown what he is buying the gun for.”

According to the paper, DCF’s investigation was completed that Nov. 12. The agency concluded Cruz had not been mistreated by his mother, was receiving adequate care from a mental health counselor and was attending school.

Mental health center staff “came out and assessed the (victim and) found him to be stable enough not to be hospitalized,” the DCF report said.

Cruz had been diagnosed with autism, a neurological disorder that often leads to social awkwardness and isolation, and attention-deficit-hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD.

The FBI said a person close to Cruz called the FBI’s tip line and provided information about Cruz’s weapons and his erratic behavior. The caller was concerned Cruz could attack a school. The agency acknowledged the tip should have been shared with the FBI’s Miami office and investigated, but it was not.

Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel said his office had received more than 20 calls about Cruz in the past few years.

Three suicide bombers killed 18 people in the northeast Nigerian city of Maiduguri, capital of the state worst hit by the Boko Haram insurgency, its police commissioner said on Saturday.

Nobody has claimed responsibility for the attack but the use of suicide bombers in crowded areas is a hallmark of the Islamist militant group, which has killed more that 20,000 people since 2009 and forced over two million to flee their homes.

Damian Chukwu, police commissioner for Borno state, said the attack took place at a fish market around 20 kilometres (12 miles) from the centre of Maiduguri at about 8:00 p.m. (1900 GMT) on Friday.

“The three suicide bombers were killed and 18 other persons died. Twenty-two people were injured,” said Chukwu.

Suicide bombings have continued despite repeated assertions by the government and the military since 2016 to have defeated the Boko Haram insurgency, which aims to create an Islamic state in Nigeria’s northeast.

President Muhammadu Buhari took office in 2015 with a promise to improve security for ordinary Nigerians.

But in addition to the jihadist insurgency, communal violence has plagued swathes of the country in the last few months, including a clash on Thursday that killed 18.

On Sunday, a week after launching its huge Falcon Heavy rocket, SpaceX is set to blast off another test of a long-awaited new product.

More than three years ago we learned Elon Musk and his rocket company were working on developing satellites to provide low-cost internet access around the world. The first pair of demonstration satellites for the company’s Starlink service will finally be launched into orbit aboard a Falcon 9 on Sunday, according to correspondence between the company and the Federal Communications Commission.

The main payload for the launch from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California will be the Spanish government’s Paz satellite, designed to capture imagery of the Earth down to the single-meter scale. But there had been unconfirmed reports for several weeks now from space industry sources like NASASpaceFlight.com that a secondary passenger on the flight would be the Starlink demonstration setup.

SpaceX itself has been relatively mum about the debut of its Starlink satellites, and about the entire program itself. However, a letter from SpaceX to the Federal Communications Commission, posted to the FCC website Monday, makes it pretty clear what will be aboard the Falcon 9 when it launches.

The letter refers to two satellites, called Microsat-2a and Microsat-2b, that will be launched as a secondary payload on the Paz mission. The FCC granted SpaceX a license in November to launch this pair of satellites as part of a test mission. In its application, the company describes the test objectives:

“In addition to proving out the development of the satellite bus and related subsystems, the test program for the Microsat-2a and -2b spacecraft will also validate the design of a phased array broadband antenna communications platform.”

Putting that all together: SpaceX is testing internet broadband satellites that will be launched along with the Paz satellite.

At least 13 people on the ground, including three children, were killed when a Mexican military helicopter carrying top officials surveying damage from an earthquake crashed in a small town in the southern state of Oaxaca, authorities said on Saturday.

The helicopter, which was carrying Mexico’s interior minister and the state governor, crashed on top of two vans in an open field while trying to land at night in Santiago Jamiltepec after a tour of damage from Friday’s powerful quake.

The senior officials survived but 12 people at the scene were killed and another died later in a hospital, Oaxaca’s attorney general’s office said in a statement. Another 15 people were injured.

Luis Cabrera, a civil protection official at the scene, said authorities were still investigating the cause of the crash.

The 7.2 magnitude quake knocked out electricity in Santiago Jamiltepec, about 28 miles (45 km) from the tremor’s epicenter, leaving the town in darkness Friday night.

A journalist on board the flight told local TV that the helicopter had flown in over a clearing next to homes, raising a huge dust cloud before it crash landed.

At a home near the accident site, family members gathered to mourn their loved ones after officials returned their bodies. Many lashed out in anger at authorities.

“The governor was supposedly coming to help, but what was the help, the aid, we received? This was the aid,” said Eduardo Juarez, a relative of one victim.

Mexico’s defense minister, General Salvador Cienfuegos, arrived at the scene on Saturday and spoke with locals, offering apologies and taking responsibility for the accident.

“We will take care of what we have to do and we will do everything in our power to try to remedy this misfortune,” Cienfuegos told reporters.

He blamed the late hour and the heavy dust for “disorienting” the pilot, but he said he did not think there had been any “recklessness” by the helicopters’ crew.

The earthquake left nearly a million homes and businesses without power in Mexico City and the south and damaged at least 50 homes in Oaxaca.

The state, along with Mexico City, is still reeling from earthquakes in September that killed at least 471 people and caused widespread damage.

]]>bcnn1wpChristians Use Pin Trading Tradition at the Winter Olympics to Tell the Gospel Storyhttps://bcnn1wp.wordpress.com/2018/02/17/christians-use-pin-trading-tradition-at-the-winter-olympics-to-tell-the-gospel-story/
Sun, 18 Feb 2018 00:06:41 +0000http://bcnn1wp.wordpress.com/?p=278845Continue Reading →]]>Visitors to the Coca-Cola Pin Trading Center at Olympic Park walk in and peer at the hundreds of small pins spread in front of the traders standing behind the counter.

The colors and designs are enough to catch anyone’s eye, encompassing pins from past Olympics in places like Sochi, Rio de Janeiro and Atlanta. And there are sport-specific pins depicting soccer, figure skating and gymnastics, along with corporate pins bearing the logos of Coca-Cola, McDonald’s and NBC.

Two Baptists are in the middle of the popular Olympics pastime, seeking to nurture subsequent conversations about Jesus.

“People from all around the world come through, and we trade pins, but we also build relationships,” said Marty Youngblood, a missionary in church and ministry relations with the Georgia Baptist Mission Board. “So as we see them later on in the park, we can go up and have other conversations. Because our primary role in coming over here as Christians is to share our faith in Jesus Christ.”

Youngblood and Sid Hopkins, a retired director of missions and pastor of Horizon Baptist Church in Suwanee, Ga., are pin ambassadors for Coca-Cola International. They’ll spend a couple of hours a day interacting with visitors at the trading center. One of the pins they offer for trade is a pin that Hopkins produced with colors that represent the Gospel story.

“You picked a special pin,” they’ll tell someone who asks for that pin. “That pin has a story behind it. I can’t tell it to you now, but I’ll be happy to share it with you sometime later.”

They don’t share the story behind the pin at the trading center, since they are there representing Coca-Cola. But the relationships they build allow them to approach people later in the Olympic park wearing the “story pin” and tell them what it means.

The black in the pin represents the sin that separates people from God. Red stands for the blood of Christ, green for eternal life, blue for heaven and gold for the value of a relationship with Jesus Christ that is more valuable than a gold medal.

“The spirit at the Olympics is like no other,” Hopkins said. “When we’re not working here, we’re out sharing with people and telling them about how to have a relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

“There’s an openness at the Olympics that you don’t find anywhere else,” he continued. “People will have discussions that they would not have anywhere else. So it’s a great opportunity.”

Growing up in a rural town, I came to understand the lack of privacy just by picking up the local newspaper. Our local gossip column was called “Out and About.” It kept everyone in the loop of how many ladies made it to bridge club that week and that Ida Hayes was absent due to a cold.

Holidays were always a little more interesting because of folks coming to visit. Every time my aunt came down from Kansas City, it was big news! I remember reading my pastor’s name in this section on a regular basis. He had been “out and about” delivering groceries, meeting for coffee, or praying for the meal at the fire hall fundraiser.

As he was my mentor, I was destined to do the same. As a young 20-something youth pastor, I went to the Assisted Living Center to have coffee and lead a Bible study. Sure enough, I would be in the news. I thought it was cool because I was meeting the expectations of the community and they all knew it.

Unfortunately, it did not occur to me that those expectations would be placed on my wife and my children. It has been a harsh reality-check and weight that I hate they have to bear. It seems like it’s magnified in a small town.

My daughter is a sophomore in high school and has always been very responsible, helpful, and smart. Teachers often tell us that she’s a leader among her peers. However, this past semester has been a challenge of a different kind.

Although she attends a public school, God and his provisions are often referenced in literature class. Every time religion or spiritual topics come up, many students (and even the teacher) look to her for the answers. After all, she is the pastor’s daughter so obviously she would be the expert on the subject.

Not only do they expect her to have the answers, but also to walk the straight and narrow path. She is automatically held to a higher expectation than her peers simply because of who her parents are. Her words, actions, and decisions are constantly being scrutinized. It is like living in a fish bowl!

I imagine that the disciples experienced something similar, as they were Jesus’ closest friends. Not only was Jesus examined tooth and nail, but those who were closest to him were also examined.

Peter was faced with this in Mark 14:70: “Certainly you are one of them, for you are a Galilean.” In other words, “We have been watching you and know that you were with Jesus.” Peter’s response of denial is completely understandable. Living up to the expectations of others is exhausting and unrealistic. Here are a few things that we have done to help alleviate the pressure of the fish bowl effect in our home.

Parents now have another way to save for Christian school tuition—and this one comes with tax benefits.

Thanks to the GOP-led tax reforms, the 529 college savings vehicle—so named for the relevant section of the Internal Revenue Code—can now also be used to save money to pay tuition at any “elementary or secondary public, private, or religious school.”

CT spoke to George Tryfiates, director for government affairs at the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI), to find out how it works. His office worked for months on this small section of the tax bill by visiting legislators, joining coalitions, and generating almost 9,000 calls to Congress, President Donald Trump, and Vice President Mike Pence from the ACSI community.

How did this come about?

Trump made such a priority of parental choice in education during his campaign that, immediately after his election, people began working on school choice proposals in earnest. All the ideas people have had over the years—education savings accounts, Title 1 portability, tax credit scholarships—got new life. So did expanding the 529 savings accounts.

How does a 529 savings plan work?

The 529 savings plans were created by a federal law but are administered by the states, so the benefits can be twofold—in other words, from both federal and state taxes (depending on the state).

Parents create and put money into a 529 account, which is then invested in stocks and bonds, more like a 403(b) or a 401(k) than a bank savings account. They can select their level of risk: perhaps choosing a plan that invests in higher-risk options with higher rates of return for a child in first grade, then switching to safer options such as bonds as a child gets closer to college.

While the initial investment is taxed normally—through payroll taxes—the federal government doesn’t tax the growth parents see on their 529 funds (unlike bank interest or other investments, which count as income and are taxed).

As a second—and often larger—benefit, 34 states (and Washington DC) add their own incentives. This is usually a tax credit or deduction on the amount contributed. [A list of benefits by states can be found here.]

One example is Pennsylvania, which has an especially generous plan. It’s one of five states that allow residents to invest in a 529 plan in another state and still receive state income tax benefits. So if you’re a Pittsburgh grandma, and your grandchildren live in Virginia, you can open a Virginia 529 for them and enjoy a Pennsylvania state tax deduction.

Before the new tax law, the saved 529 money could be used only for qualified higher education expenses such as college tuition, room and board, and books.

How did the new law change things?

Expanding to cover K–12 education was a natural, logical step. The tax plan says that the federal government will extend this benefit—not taxing the growth of the saved money—down to the primary and secondary level. So parents can begin saving as soon as a child is born, and can now use the money for elementary and high school expenses in addition to college costs.

However, some state laws may not automatically follow the new federal expansion to K–12. Some states may decide to limit their benefits to college expenses only. Extending the benefits could cost the states extra money. On the other hand, every child the state is not educating in the public school system represents a significant savings. (Spending rangesfrom $6,575 per pupil per year in Utah to $21,206 per pupil per year in New York.)

In addition, states use contribution caps, deduction caps, and specified expenses to protect themselves. In the case of Virginia, the maximum exposure the state has is a $4,000 deduction a year, which is a very small amount for the state, but a very large amount to the taxpayer.

]]>bcnn1wpSurvey Shows Britain Ranks Religious Studies as 4th Least Important Subject for Students to Learnhttps://bcnn1wp.wordpress.com/2018/02/17/survey-shows-britain-ranks-religious-studies-as-4th-least-important-subject-for-students-to-learn/
Sat, 17 Feb 2018 20:58:12 +0000http://bcnn1wp.wordpress.com/?p=278837Continue Reading →]]>Religious studies has been ranked as one of the least important subjects students should learn in school, according to a survey released by the U.K.-based research group YouGov.

In December, YouGov surveyed approximately 1,600 Brits to ask their opinions of the importance of 18 different course topics taught in school, including art, drama, music, religious studies and physical education.

In findings released Thursday, YouGov reported that only 12 percent said religious studies is “very important,” with the majority saying it’s either “not very important” or “not at all important.” Religious studies was ranked well below even physical education, which 42 percent said was “very important” for students to participate in.

English was considered the most valuable, with 84 percent of respondents labeling it “very important.”

Right behind English were mathematics with 83 percent “very important” and computer science with 69 percent.

Of the 18 subjects listed, religious studies was the fourth lowest entry.

The three topics that ranked lower were drama (8 percent), classics (7 percent), and at the very bottom, Latin (3 percent).

YouGov noted that religious studies was one of only four subjects that were “seen as important by fewer than half of people.”

“Despite sporadic calls for it to be added to the curriculum — including from Boris Johnson while he was Mayor of London — coming in dead last is Latin, which only 14 percent of Brits see as important,” reported YouGov.

YouGov did note a strong gender difference in the view of whether religious studies was an important subject, with women favoring the topic considerably more than men.

“The subject the genders are most divided over is religious studies, which almost half of women (48 percent) consider important compared to only a third of men (34 percent),” added YouGov.

]]>bcnn1wpUS Olympic Gold Medalist Snowboarder Kelly Clark Holds on to Faith in Jesus After Final Olympic Runhttps://bcnn1wp.wordpress.com/2018/02/17/us-olympic-gold-medalist-snowboarder-kelly-clark-holds-on-to-faith-in-jesus-after-final-olympic-run/
Sat, 17 Feb 2018 20:54:22 +0000http://bcnn1wp.wordpress.com/?p=278835Continue Reading →]]>Team USA Olympic snowboarder Kelly Clark competed for the women’s halfpipe finals Monday at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang and came in fourth place. But as the Christian competitor has often said, she’s holding onto her faith.

During her fifth Olympic appearance this year and three crowd-pleasing runs, Clark was just short of receiving a medal. However, she still left the competition in good spirits.

“I just kind of did what I could and that’s all I could do on a day like today,” she said at the bottom of the halfpipe. “I’m grateful I could put down some runs today.”

According to the Baptist Press, Clark is finished in the competition for the year but not done for good.

“I’m not done yet, but I don’t think that many people get to stay around long enough to see what their legacy could look like,” Clark told the Baptist Press. “I’m extremely proud of these girls and I take a lot of pride in seeing them do well. It’s been great to be a part of it for so long.”

Clark is very public about her faith and according to her recently released memoir, Inspired: Pursuit of Progress, her Christian faith has helped keep her sense of fun in her sport, win or lose.

She explained that when she was 18 and had everything she ever wanted, including an Olympic gold medal, she first heard someone tell a young female competitor who lost, “It’s all right, God still loves you.”

That phrase would be what she would use to lean on from then on. The idea of God’s love sent her back to her hotel room in search of a Bible. Unable to find one, she found the young woman who wiped out and said, “I think you might be a Christian and I think you need to tell me about God.”

The 34-year-old became a Christian that day and still proudly advertises her faith. She sports a sticker on her snowboard that reads: “Jesus, I cannot hide my love.”

The blockbuster film “Black Panther” isn’t a Christian movie but many churches have either hosted screenings or are buying tickets in bulk for youth to see it, and gospel music veteran Kirk Franklin explains why.

Franklin, who heads the Fo Yo Soul Recordings Christian music label, was invited by Walmart and Disney to host a screening of “Black Panther” in Dallas, Texas, earlier this week. The movie centers around the fictional African nation of Wakanda and its king, T’Challa, who also serves as the “Black Panther.”

With a majority black cast and representation that isn’t often portrayed in big budget films, Franklin believes the Marvel superhero movie represents hope for a community of people.

“People have always wanted to have something they can identify with [and] this represents hope. It reflects something bigger,” Franklin said at a Dallas screening, according to NBC-DFW. “I just want them to be able to see a snapshot of themselves. When you can see yourself doing supernatural things, then you are able to take that power and believe that you have a supernatural ability as well.”

A number of people in the Christian community have been coming together to buy tickets in droves in support of the film. The Rev. Kyev Tatum, president of the Tarrant County chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, will be taking a group of students to see the film with the help of donations from the Regional Women’s Chamber of North Texas.

Tatum explained why kids seeing people who look like them doing positive things on the big screen is important.

“There are only three things that a troubled kid needs: significance, responsibility and privilege. If you place those three things into their lives as you are trying to grow them, they are going to begin to feel good about themselves. Self-image is very important when you always see yourself casted in a negative light,” Tatum told NBC-DFW. “You’re either rejected, a suspect or a subject. You tend to begin to have internalized racial inferiority.”

Christian author and Pastor Tim Challies of Grace Fellowship Church in Toronto, Ontario, has warned that Christians should not marry unbelievers. His advice is part of a broader discussion on the topic: “What’s wrong with Christian dating?”

“The Bible makes it very, very clear that a Christian can only marry another Christian. You may not marry somebody who is an unbeliever. You should not marry somebody for whom you’re not certain whether they’re a believer or not. So absolutely, the first thing is, is this person a believer in Jesus Christ? Do we share faith?” Challies advised Thursday in part two of his message on Christian dating.

“And you know, it can sound very easy, it can sound — that person’s almost there, or that person really loves me, and he’s promised he won’t interfere, or that kind of thing. You may not do it,” he asserted.

“And there’s very good reasons for that. These things may be easy now when you’re really in love with one another and you know, you’ll do anything to marry one another. It will at some point get more difficult and there will inevitably be consequences for marrying an unbeliever.”

As for Christians who have found potential Christian partners, he says, the other main issue is compatibility.

“Do you enjoy one another? I mean, do you just have fun together? Do you have common interests? Do you have common goals? You know you’ve got to have a lot of conversations, and often these are guided conversations with other people,” he added.

“So salvation, compatibility is really what you’re after.”

Other topics he tackled is how should a single man pursue a single woman, noting that if her family has certain traditions, such as expecting the man to speak first with the father before dating the girl, then that should be honored.

“But the Bible, I don’t think, mandates that for all people and all times and all places. So there may be other situations in which you don’t have to do that. You can just ask the girl, ‘would you like to go out for a coffee?’ and begin to indicate interest that way,” he clarified.

He also noted that Christians do not “casually date” with no goal in mind.

“As we date, there should be the view toward marriage. But that can complicate things because it can make it seem like, I’m asking you out for a coffee and I want to have babies with you someday. That’s adding a lot of weight to simply having a coffee,” he continued.

Meghan McCain, co-host of ABC’s “The View” apologized to Vice President Pence and his family for comments made on Tuesday’s show where fellow co-host Joy Behar likened the Christian faith to mental illness.

During the “hot topics” segment of the daytime talk show Thursday, McCain expressed her distress with Behar’s comments two days earlier. The ladies were discussing Omarosa Manigault Newman’s accusations on the reality TV series “Celebrity Big Brother” where she is now a contestant. Newman warned her housemates that they should be afraid of Pence because he’s “extreme” and believes Jesus Christ tells him to say things.

Behar said Tuesday the fact Pence reportedly hears Jesus talking back to him and hears voices is an indication he has a “mental illness.”

“I’ve had a very hard time the last two days with this,” an exasperated McCain, who is the daughter of Arizona Senator John McCain, said Thursday, “My in-laws are evangelical, my entire family are devoutly Christian.”

She referenced Tuesday’s segment where Behar made the mental illness quip and complained that liberals talk about being tolerant of everyone but carve out exceptions for such tolerance when it comes to pro-lifers, gun-owners, Trump supporters, and the dwellers of conservative states in the middle section of the country.

Moderator Whoopi Goldberg then interrupted McCain, disputing that charge as untrue, and hinting that the producers were telling her in her earpiece that time was short, asking McCain to conclude her remarks quickly.

“I would like to move forward,” McCain said, appearing annoyed. “I think we would all like to collectively move forward.

“I am a great admirer of Mike Pence and his family. I would like to apologize to him and his family in particular. This is a show where we respect one another, and we respect everyone else in the country.”

12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.

13 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.

14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.

15 For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.

16 I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.

17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:

19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

In our last message, we talked about Jesus’ final words in which He affirms that He is coming again, and coming quickly. Still, it is apparent that His quick coming is yet future. Christians of every age have had to learn how to live in expectation of His coming. How do we keep our eye on the prize, on the goal line of history, while we live in this present broken, sin-filled world. In this world, we have to endure things like the high school shooting in Florida that happened this past week. Wouldn’t it be better to be in Heaven with the Lord than to live in such a world? But, here we are. How do we live in this present evil age? In the final verse of the Revelation, the final words of the Bible, John provides the answer as he bids his fellow believers farewell. He writes, “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.” That is how we will live in this dark and devastating world till our Lord returns — by the “grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.”

What is grace? Grace is defined in two paradigms which we may call “macro-grace” and “micro-grace.” Macro grace is what we usually think of when we think about grace; it is the big picture of “the free and unmerited favor of God, as manifested in the salvation of sinners.” We who are saved are all beneficiaries of this grace. But, as Spurgeon famously said, “It is all of grace.” There is even more grace in store for us; there is micro-grace.

What is micro-grace? Micro-grace is the seemingly small, everyday measures of grace that God grants us to get through each day. God’s grace is the reason why you can experience a tragedy one day, yet wake up the next morning and get out of bed. Grace, God’s grace, is what enables you to deal with difficult people, power through tough circumstances, and keep a good attitude when everything seems to be going against you.

Now, if you are not a believer in Jesus Christ, I urge you to trust in Him before He comes and you have no time to change. Here is how you can place your faith and trust in Him for Salvation from sin and the consequences of sin.

First, accept the fact that you are a sinner, and that you have broken God’s law. The Bible says in Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”

Second, accept the fact that there is a penalty for sin. The Bible states in Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death…”

Third, accept the fact that you are on the road to hell. Jesus Christ said in Matthew 10:28: “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” Also, the Bible states in Revelation 21:8: “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”

Now that is bad news, but here’s the good news. Jesus Christ said in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Just believe in your heart that Jesus Christ died for your sins, was buried, and rose from the dead by the power of God for you so that you can live eternally with Him. Pray and ask Him to come into your heart today, and He will.

Romans 10:9 & 13 says, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved… For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

If you believe that Jesus Christ died on the Cross for your sins, was buried, and rose from the dead, and you want to trust Him for your Salvation today, please pray with me this simple prayer: Holy Father God, I realize that I am a sinner and that I have done some bad things in my life. I am sorry for my sins, and today I choose to turn from my sins. For Jesus Christ sake, please forgive me of my sins. I believe with all of my heart that Jesus Christ died for me, was buried, and rose again. I trust Jesus Christ as my Savior and I choose to follow Him as Lord from this day forward. Lord Jesus, please come into my heart and save my soul and change my life today. Amen.

If you just trusted Jesus Christ as your Saviour, and you prayed that prayer and meant it from your heart, I declare to you that based upon the Word of God, you are now saved from Hell and you are on your way to Heaven. Welcome to the family of God! Congratulations on doing the most important thing in life and that is receiving Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour. For more information to help you grow in your newfound faith in Christ, go to Gospel Light Society.com and read “What To Do After You Enter Through the Door.” Jesus Christ said in John 10:9, “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.”

God loves you. We love you. And may God bless you.

]]>bcnn1wpDaniel Whyte IIIFather of 14-Y-O Daughter Killed in Florida Mass Shooting: ‘This Is Unfathomable, We Are Broken’https://bcnn1wp.wordpress.com/2018/02/17/father-of-14-y-o-daughter-killed-in-florida-mass-shooting-this-is-unfathomable-we-are-broken/
Sat, 17 Feb 2018 20:33:08 +0000http://bcnn1wp.wordpress.com/?p=278823Continue Reading →]]>More than 1,000 people attended a candlelight vigil Thursday night where parents shared their heartbreaking grief over the deaths of 17 students and staff killed in the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.

The Palm Beach Post reports that Fred Guttenberg was one of the fathers who poured out his sorrow before the crowd over the loss of his 14-year-old daughter, Jaime, who died alongside 16 others when 19-year-old former student Nikolas Cruz went on a rampage inside the school halls.

“This makes no sense,” the devastated father said. “This is impossible. My girl, my 14-year-old baby … For those of you who knew my baby, she was the energy in the room. She made people laugh and, yes, sometimes she made us cry. But she always made her presence known.

“I sent her to school yesterday. She was supposed to be safe. My job is to protect my children, and I send my kids to school. In the morning, sometimes, things get so crazy. She runs out and goes, ‘I gotta go, Dad. Bye.’ And I don’t always get to say I love you. I don’t remember if I said that to Jaime yesterday morning,” Guttenberg continued, with tears streaming down his face.

“Jaime was such a special kid. All of the kids here are. What is unfathomable is Jaime took a bullet and is dead. I don’t know what I do next. My wife is home. We are broken.”

CBS Miami said that close to 1,000 people attended the vigil, with several other vigils also taking place in the area throughout the day. Florida Gov. Rick Scott was among those who attended an earlier noon prayer vigil outside Parkridge Church in Coral Springs.

“My initial reaction was that it was a tone-deaf comment, but not a surprising one from someone who isn’t a believer,” Bure told Faithwire Thursday.

During a segment on the daytime talk show called “hot topics,” the ladies discussed comments made by former White House staffer Omarosa Manigault Newman who criticized Vice President Mike Pence during an episode of CBS’ “Celebrity Big Brother.”

Omarosa told her housemates that Pence’s understanding of Christianity was “scary.”

“He’s extreme. I’m Christian, I love Jesus, but he thinks Jesus tells him to say things. I’m like, ‘Jesus ain’t say that,'” Omarosa, who left the Trump administration in December and is reportedly working on a book said on the show, causing a media frenzy.

In response to Omarosa’s comments, Behar said: “It’s one thing to talk to Jesus. It’s another thing when Jesus talks to you. That’s called mental illness if I’m not correct, hearing voices.”

Co-host Sunny Hostin summarily remarked that she went to law school in Indiana, where Pence was the governor from 2013–’17, and claimed that he’s a “hated figure” there. She added that although she’s a “faithful person,” and Catholic, she’s uncomfortable with Pence putting a “religious veneer” on things.

“I don’t know that I want my vice president, you know, speaking in tongues and having Jesus speak to him.”

Having worked on “The View” for two seasons before leaving in December 2016, Bure felt that after watching Behar’s response, the comedian reasonably explained her position on Pence, but clarified that she disagrees with Behar’s sentiments.

“We understood where she stood with [the vice president],” Bure said. “It was important for me to watch that entire clip and not just pull the one thing out that Joy said … there are many people who think the way that Joy does when they aren’t believers.”

]]>bcnn1wp10 Hilarious Parodies of President Obama’s Portraithttps://bcnn1wp.wordpress.com/2018/02/17/10-hilarious-parodies-of-president-obamas-portrait/
Sat, 17 Feb 2018 20:24:23 +0000http://bcnn1wp.wordpress.com/?p=278819Continue Reading →]]>Earlier this week, the National Portrait Gallery unveiled the official portraits for former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama.

Reaction to the portraits, especially the one for Barack Obama, was extensive, with many taking to social media to poke fun at the unconventional image.

Here, in no particular order, are 10 of the many parodies posted to Twitter in reaction to the unveiled portrait.

1. Maybe it does grow on trees. Or bushes.

(PHOTO: TWITTER/M_CHERRY_315) A parody of former president Barack Obama’s official portrait.

3. If clothes make the man …

4. He traveled to this photo shoot in a yellow submarine.

5. Make official presidential portraits great again!

]]>bcnn1wpLISTEN: Whyte House Family Devotions: A Prayer for the Family, the Church, the Nation and the World #272 (02/17/18): “The Heart of Worship (Part 4)” by Rick Warrenhttps://bcnn1wp.wordpress.com/2018/02/17/listen-whyte-house-family-devotions-a-prayer-for-the-family-the-church-the-nation-and-the-world-272-02-17-18-the-heart-of-worship-part-4-by-rick-warren/
Sat, 17 Feb 2018 20:21:43 +0000http://bcnn1wp.wordpress.com/?p=278817Continue Reading →]]>Daniel Whyte III

My family and I have had morning devotions, or family altar as some people call it, every day ever since my wife, Meriqua, and I were married 30 years ago. We have prayed and read the Bible together as well as other devotional books as a family, and it is the only reason why this family has stayed together, and the only reason why God has blessed our family and used our family in ministry all of these years. We read Ephesians 5 and 6 every morning as it relates to the role of each member of the family and how that we need to put on the whole armor of God to fight against the devil who is seeking to destroy our family and all Christian families, churches, and Christians. So, now after 30 years of doing this in our home, we are opening this up to others who don’t have a family to pray with, who don’t have a spouse, or who are single by choice, and to encourage all families who are still intact to go back to the family altar and have devotions together every morning. In these devotions, you may hear me deal with a temptation I’m facing in my life, you may hear me rebuke my wife about not doing what she should be doing, or you may hear me get on one of my children’s cases about something they’re doing. Don’t be shocked; this is real life.

John Newton said, “Happy is that family where the worship of God is constantly and conscientiously maintained. Such houses are temples in which the Lord dwells, and castles garrisoned by a divine power. I do not say, that, by honoring God in your house, you will wholly escape a share in the trials incident to the present uncertain state of things. But this I will confidently say: that the Lord will both honor and comfort those who thus honor Him.”

——

PRAY “THE COMMON PRAYER”

Almighty and most merciful Father; We have sinned, and strayed from Thy ways like lost sheep. We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts. We have offended against Thy holy laws. We have left undone those things which we ought to have done; And we have done those things which we ought not to have done; And there is no peace and joy in us. But Thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us, miserable offenders. Spare Thou us, O God, who confess our sins, our faults, and our failures. Restore those of us who confess our sins and repent; According to Thy promises declared unto us in Christ Jesus our Lord. And grant, O most merciful Father, for His sake; That we may hereafter live a godly, righteous, and sober life. To the glory of Thy holy Name. In Jesus Christ’s Name, Amen.

——

EPHESIANS 5:25

25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

David Guzik writes in his Enduring Word Commentary on the Bible, “Husbands must see headship in godly terms, not worldly term. Worldly headship says, ‘I am your head, so you take your orders from me and must do whatever I want.’ Godly headship says, ‘I am your head, so I must care for you and serve you.’ Worldly submission says, ‘You must submit to me, so here are the things I want you to do for me.’ Godly submission says,’You must submit to me, so I am accountable before God for you. I must care for you and serve you.’ This is not the height of romantic love as the world knows it. This isn’t love based on looks, image, or the ability to be suave or cool. This is love expressed through sacrifice.”

——-

PRAYER

——-

DEVOTIONAL PASSAGE: Psalm 109:26-31

26 Help me, O Lord my God: O save me according to thy mercy:

27 That they may know that this is thy hand; that thou, Lord, hast done it.

28 Let them curse, but bless thou: when they arise, let them be ashamed; but let thy servant rejoice.

29 Let mine adversaries be clothed with shame, and let them cover themselves with their own confusion, as with a mantle.

30 I will greatly praise the Lord with my mouth; yea, I will praise him among the multitude.

31 For he shall stand at the right hand of the poor, to save him from those that condemn his soul.

Regarding this passage, Matthew Henry writes: “The psalmist pleads God’s glory, and the honour of his name — not according to his own merit, for he has none, but according to God’s mercy. He concludes with the joy of faith, in assurance that his present conflicts would end in triumphs. Let all that suffer according to the will of God, commit the keeping of their souls to him. Jesus, unjustly put to death, and now risen again, is an Advocate and Intercessor for his people, ever ready to appear on their behalf against a corrupt world and the great accuser.”

———

PRAYER FOR THE ESTATES
1. Clergy (church)
2. Government
3. People (citizens)
4. The press (media)
5. New media/Online journalists

PRAYER FOR CHURCH LEADERSHIP
– For all pastors, church leaders, denominational leaders, Bible teachers, missionaries, and ministry workers.

GOVERNMENT LEADERS

1 Timothy 2:1-2 says, “I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.”

– For the comfort of the families and community affected by the deadly high school shooting in Florida which left 17 dead and 14 wounded.
– For the comfort of the families of the 71 people killed in a plane crash in Russia
– For the comfort of the families of the Westerville, OH, police officers who were killed last weekend.

PRAYER REQUESTS

Chaka
please help her brother to stop drinking and help her not to be depressed; please help them to get answers as to why their father was killed

Dottie
for Your divine intervention, protection, supernatural favor, and blessings for her family; for joy, happiness, clarity, and wisdom for her daughters and grandchildren in their education and careers

May
please help her to get a full time job this year if it is Your will; please save her daughter and her nieces and heal her aunt, mother, and husband

A second barrier to total surrender is our pride. We don’t want to admit that we’re just creatures and not in charge of everything. It is the oldest temptation: “You’ll be like God!” That desire—to have complete control—is the cause of so much stress in our lives. Life is a struggle, but what most people don’t realize is that our struggle, like Jacob’s, is really a struggle with God! We want to be God, and there’s no way we are going to win that struggle.

A. W. Tozer said, “The reason why many are still troubled, still seeking, still making little forward progress is because they haven’t yet come to the end of themselves. We’re still trying to give orders, and interfering with God’s work within us.”

We aren’t God and never will be. We are humans. It is when we try to be God that we end up most like Satan, who desired the same thing.

We accept our humanity intellectually, but not emotionally. When faced with our own limitations, we react with irritation, anger, and resentment. We want to be taller (or shorter), smarter, stronger, more talented, more beautiful, and wealthier. We want to have it all and do it all, and we become upset when it doesn’t happen. Then when we notice that God gave others characteristics we don’t have, we respond with envy, jealousy, and self-pity.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Now, if you do not know Jesus Christ as your Savior, allow me to show you how you can place your faith and trust in Him for Salvation from sin and Hell.

First, accept the fact that you are a sinner, and that you have broken God’s law. The Bible says in Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”

Second, accept the fact that there is a penalty for sin. The Bible states in Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death…”

Third, accept the fact that you are on the road to hell. Jesus Christ said in Matthew 10:28: “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”

Now that is bad news, but here’s the good news. Jesus Christ said in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Just believe in your heart that Jesus Christ died for your sins, was buried, and rose from the dead by the power of God for you so that you can live eternally with Him. Pray and ask Him to come into your heart today, and He will.

Romans 10:9 & 13 says, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved… For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

If you believe that Jesus Christ died on the Cross for your sins, was buried, and rose from the dead, and you want to trust Him for your Salvation today, please pray with me this simple prayer: Holy Father God, I realize that I am a sinner and that I have done some bad things in my life. I am sorry for my sins, and today I choose to turn from my sins. For Jesus Christ sake, please forgive me of my sins. I believe with all of my heart that Jesus Christ died for me, was buried, and rose again. I trust Jesus Christ as my Savior and I choose to follow Him as Lord from this day forward. Lord Jesus, please come into my heart and save my soul and change my life today. Amen.

If you just trusted Jesus Christ as your Saviour, and you prayed that prayer and meant it from your heart, I declare to you that based upon the Word of God, you are now saved from Hell and you are on your way to Heaven. Welcome to the family of God! I want to congratulate you on doing the most important thing in life and that is receiving Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour. For more information to help you grow in your newfound faith in Christ, go to Gospel Light Society.com and read “What To Do After You Enter Through the Door”. Jesus Christ said in John 10:9, “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.”

Until next time, May the Lord Bless You!

Daniel Whyte III has spoken in meetings across the United States and in over twenty-five foreign countries. He is the author of over forty books including the Essence Magazine, Dallas Morning News, and Amazon.com national bestseller, Letters to Young Black Men. He is also the president of Gospel Light Society International, a worldwide evangelistic ministry that reaches thousands with the Gospel each week, as well as president of Torch Ministries International, a Christian literature ministry.

He is heard by thousands each week on his radio broadcasts/podcasts, which include: The Prayer Motivator Devotional, The Prayer Motivator Minute, as well as Gospel Light Minute X, the Gospel Light Minute, the Sunday Evening Evangelistic Message, the Prophet Daniel’s Report, the Second Coming Watch Update and the Soul-Winning Motivator, among others.

He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Theology from Bethany Divinity College, a Bachelor’s degree in Religion from Texas Wesleyan University, a Master’s degree in Religion, a Master of Divinity degree, and a Master of Theology degree from Liberty University’s Rawlings School of Divinity (formerly Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary). He is currently a candidate for the Doctor of Ministry degree.

He has been married to the former Meriqua Althea Dixon, of Christiana, Jamaica since 1987. God has blessed their union with seven children.

]]>bcnn1wpDaniel Whyte IIIPastor’s Wife Pleads for Husband’s Release a Year After His Abduction in Malaysiahttps://bcnn1wp.wordpress.com/2018/02/17/pastors-wife-pleads-for-husbands-release-a-year-after-his-abduction-in-malaysia/
Sat, 17 Feb 2018 20:19:18 +0000http://bcnn1wp.wordpress.com/?p=278815Continue Reading →]]>The wife of Malaysian Pastor Raymond Koh, who had been accused of proselytizing to Muslims and was abducted by masked men near his home one year ago, is pleading for the release of her husband, a month after an inquiry into the incident was halted.

“My wish is for Raymond to be released so that he can be reunited with his family especially this Chinese New Year,” the wife, Susanna Liew, said in a statement, according to Channel News Asia.

“His mother is ailing and has not seen him for over a year,” she said.

Koh was abducted near his home in Petaling Jaya, West Malaysia on Feb. 13, 2017. After the abduction, police initially began investigating if the pastor preached Christianity to Muslims, rather than focusing on catching his captors.

Based on CCTV footage, the abduction was swiftly executed in just two minutes — in broad daylight and with someone even recording the entire process on video while another person is seen casually redirecting traffic.

No legitimate ransom demand has been made, according to authorities.

Prior to his abduction, Koh had been accused of preaching to Muslims and had received bullets in the mail, according to Open Doors.

While the Malaysian constitution provides for religious freedom, the government forbids non-Muslims from preaching to Muslims.